Gems of Life

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the
air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit and you're
keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a
rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls
- family, health, friends and spirit - are made of glass.

If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked,
damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand
that and strive for balance in your life."

How? Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is
because we are different that each of us is special. Don't set your goals by
what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you. Don't
take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as they
would your life, for without them, life is meaningless. Don't let your life
slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living
your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over
until the moment you stop trying. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less
than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each together.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn
how to be brave. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible
to find time. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way
to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to
give it wings.

Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been,
but also where you are going. Don't forget, a person's greatest emotional
need is to feel appreciated.

Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always
carry easily. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way.